It is PACKED in here (like sardines in a can) and we're here on a Sunday night earlier in the evening. I thought it opened at 7 pm but it actually opened at 6 pm. Mental note to self: come here at opening to avoid the crowds and get better parking closer to the exit. Oh, and for exchange for free parking, there is a $1 entrance fee but it's worth it. The lots are large, there is chaos but they try to minimize it with a number of traffic attendants, and walking to the market is quite easy from the lots. You could also catch the skytrain over and take the less than 5 min walk over to market to avoid the parking chaos. So what did this Piglet and a Monkey choose after walking aimlessly through the numerous food stalls? Let's find out!
Ugh, time to walk all this food off! This location also has two water features (one near the entrance and another nearer to the eating area), a neat glowing tree forest, a stage with local performers, a DJ in between sets and stalls hawking everything from sunglasses, stationary and the ever present various iPhone cases. I think every third stand was an iPhone case stand. I might get an iPhone just to have some of these cases...
From the best movie ever... well, right now at least.
PIG!!! I might just have to get this just because of this blog.
So what did I ultimately end up buying from the Night Market? Fruit. LOL. It was 2 boxes of blueberries for $6 and 2 dragonfruit for $3. What can I say??? I don't have an iPhone! Don't go away yet folks because there is more Richmond Night Market to come! We haven't even hit the desserts yet!!! Stay tuned!!
Pros:
Japanese Corn Dog Stand
It's a stand that offers something that both Monkey and I have never tried so we decide to give it a whirl!
Japanese Corn Dog - $4
Monkey is leading this expedition and this was one of his first picks. A corn dog wrapped in fries and then deep fried. So how was it? It's exactly how it sounds and perhaps more boring. This dog needed something catchy or tasty - like rolled in sour cream, covered in ketchup powder or doused in a spicy aioli - because this thing was a bit of a snooze. It needed more seasoning, period.
Taste Good Stand
It's in the name.
BBQ Squid and BBQ Tofu - $8.00
From the Night Market's tiniest purveyor came this plate of deliciousness! This is a sister stand to one that a Piglet is involved in. I've commented on their squid before, which I LOVE (absolutely in comparison to other squid stands even if a Piglet was involved or not - Monkey agrees it's the crispy ends of the tentacles that are absolutely AWESOME) but the tofu here is also a draw. Crispy on the outside, warm on the inside and then covered with a mish mash of savory and sweet and sour sauce that is amazing on both the tofu and squid. The tofu also comes with a cold side salad (carrots and daikon) that is crunchy (which is nice match to all the other soft foods) and a good balance between sweet and tart. The idea of combos is great since you get a little taste of everything. Pretty big plate for $8 - I was pretty full after this massive serving but onward ho! We have to keep going!
Uncle Lin's Taiwanese Bistro
This stand is serving food that is reminscent of the street food available in Taiwan and Monkey is immediately intrigued by it. He mentions he's had these food items in Taiwan before and the items we're about to order were very good there.
Oyster Omelet - $7
It's not a typo - it's the American spelling. Anyways, I've always been wary of eating shellfish from food stands but Monkey has not led me astray before so I dive in and give it a try. They basically take oysters and put it on the grill, cover it an egg mixture, add lettuce, let it cook for a while and then add a glutinous oyster mixture over top, finish grilling it off and then serve it to you with a hot sauce on top. I hate to hurt Monkey's feelings but I couldn't stand this dish. It was a tasteless goop and the glutinous stuff was so hard to chew and swallow. Ugh. Monkey says it's just flavored with oyster juice but I can't taste anything except the cooked lettuce which is a turn off to me already. Who cooks lettuce? I'm out of my element. I'm gonna leave this one to Taiwan.
Taiwanese Cold Noodle - $6
It looked a bit boring in the picture so I wasn't really expecting much but surprisingly this dish was quite good. It's chilly and refreshing with a nutty sauce, cold fresh veggies and very cold al dente noodles mixed in. I really enjoyed the crunchy and nutty nature of this dish. Monkey says this dish is supposed to be super garlicky but I taste no garlic. He even asked the vendor if there was a lot of garlic in it and they said no because people here would complain that it was too garlicky. Ok... How about let us decide the level of seasonings in a dish? I'd love some type of garlic side to mix in and with a tad of hot sauce, I'd come back any day of the week for this. More garlic and a bit of spice = MONEY. On a hot summer day, this dish in my opinion would be really good. Monkey is not so convinced - he thinks this dish is only ok and he misses his beloved authentic Taiwanese street food.
So what did I ultimately end up buying from the Night Market? Fruit. LOL. It was 2 boxes of blueberries for $6 and 2 dragonfruit for $3. What can I say??? I don't have an iPhone! Don't go away yet folks because there is more Richmond Night Market to come! We haven't even hit the desserts yet!!! Stay tuned!!
Pros:
- Free parking
- Easy access from skytrain
- Open late - so a great place to walk around if you're bored on the weekends
- Cheap to moderately priced foods available
- THE PLACE to get your iPhone accessories
- Cash only - there is an ATM available but expect lineups
- Free parking also means lineups as well - to enter and exit
- Lineups. EVERYWHERE.
- Admission fee - it's only a $1 and you can re-enter with a stamp so quit your bellyaching
- VERY busy and VERY cramped - try to go early in the evening (like opening time) or closer to closing if you want to avoid the crowds
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